♣ 25.04 – first interview! Between first and second set of the STILO’ concert at Galeria Nova (Warsaw) Wojtek Stasiak is talking with independent journalist Ziutek Vlepkarz representing portal www.independent.pl.

♣ 23.06 - concert at International Festival of Ethno Music Folkopranie 2001 in Skierniewice.

♣ 25.08 - first standalone gig beyond Warsaw; Oberża Folkowa Zapiecek, Łódź; first professional recording of the band – live, during the gig.

♣ 30.11 – break-thru-gig! Very well received half-an-hour concert at one of the Muzyka w Muzeum’ events; Warsaw, The State Etnographical Museum. In very short relation from this evening STILO is for the first time showed on TV (TV Polonia).

One of the most important gigs in history of the band. Fot.: Muzyka w Muzeum

♣ 2-4.03 – first studio recording session of the band (“Idą czasy”, Mazura 33″, “Powrót”), made to the qualifying of the New Tradition festival; engineer: Marek Bereszczyński, Kokszoman & Złota Skała studio, Warsaw.

♣ 7.03 – next step: very well received gig at Natoliński Ośrodek Kultury, Warsaw.

Curious SoundsAudience members were left in tears when Polish folk group Stilo performed „The Gates of Secrets”, a song by the Turkish group Yansimalar, at their March 7 concert at Natolin Culture Center.
The sextet’s repertoire included instrumental compositions drawing on Arabic, Asian and Persian folk rhythms, at times combining jazz to create an intriguing sound.(†Simon Mol, “Warsaw Voice”, 17.03.2002)

♣ 18.03 – STILO qualifies to the final of V New Tradition festival!

Qualifying report.

♣ March-April – first web-site of the band is ready: www.stilo.terramail.pl, made and afterwards supervised by Adam Pietrzak.

♣ 13.04 – STILO hits the top! Gig at the New Tradition festival, awarded I prize (Grand Prix went to Swoją Drogą band). Sylwia Świątkowska (playing at the event with Kontraburger too) received Złote Gęśle (Golden Fiddle), the prize for the most interesting musician of the fest. Polish Radio Concert Hall, Warsaw.

♣ 14.04 – concert of New Tradition’ laureates, broadcasted live by Polish Radio Programme II; Polish Radio Concert Hall, Warsaw. Before the concert Wojtek Stasiak and Tomasz Żur are recording interview with journalist Aneta Dzienis from Polish Radio Programme II.

♣ 19-21.09 - first abroad travel, to Budapest on Visegrád Group’ Festival (the leading star: Marta Sebestyen & Muzsikas). Before the gig first visit in TV studio (short live interview and playback playing of “Mazura 33″, “Powrót” and “Idą czasy”).

Live at Budapest. From left: Paweł, Alpago, Tomasz and Sylwia. Fot.: archives of Banalita - Czech band playing at the festival

♣ 15.11 – beginning of “Idą czasy” recording session in one of the best Polish studio – S4 in Warsaw; engineer/co-producer: great Leszek Kamiński. Recording and almost whole mixing process is finished till 21st of December.

♣ 23.11 – after the fifth day of the session Alpago Polat quits the band.

♣ 30.11 – Marek Dutka (sax) replaces few parts of Alpago on tape.

♣ December – Sylwia Świątkowska, Wojtek Stasiak and Tomasz Żur are recording interview about new album with journalist Małgorzata Jędruch from Polish Radio Programme II.

2003

♣ January - final mixes and mastering (all by Leszek Kamiński in S4) and final assembly (by Ewa Guziołek-Tubelewicz in Polish Radio studio) of new album.

During the concert the audience don’t applaud STILO very much, but at the end people don’t want to set them free. The band promoting new album has played great gig (…)
(Tomasz Janas, daily “Gazeta Wyborcza/Poznań”, 22.03.2003)

♣ 28.03 – promotional concert and official premiere of new album “Idą czasy”; Teatr Mały, Warsaw.

♣ 26.06 – during the gig at Dramatyczny Jazzgot club in Warsaw the band plays four bises – for the first time in its career.

♣ 4.09 – during the gig at Dramatyczny Jazzgot club in Warsaw the Turkish instrument called cümbüş is probably for the first time ever used on Polish scene by Polish musican.

Commentary of Karol Ejgenberg (founder of Muzykant folk’ portal) from the audience: – Wojtek, are you playing those famous Turkish scales or just your instrument is out of tune?

In the same composition Sylwia is playing on plock fidel for the first time live with STILO.

♣ February – Grzegorz Pudełko (Batorski Poligrafia) creates first professional bill of the band, based on the photo made by Robert Czajka in summer 2003.

Great work by Grzegorz Pudełko and Robert Czajka

♣ February - during talk with Sylwia Wojtek decides to look for new violin player who would be able from time to time to replace Sylwia - too busy with Warsaw Village Band now; Oczko club, Warsaw.

♣ half of March – album “Idą czasy” is nominated to journalist poll Folk Phonogramme of the Year 2003, organised by Polish Radio and Radiowe Centrum Kultury Ludowej.

♣ beginning of April – STILO for the first time plays in Polish public TV. Playback (fragments of “Latarnia” and “Mazura 33″) in live morning program “Kawa czy herbata” (“Cafe or Tea”; TVP 1). Without Marek Dutka.

♣ 22.04 – STILO with Damian opens seventh edition of New Tradition festival as the winner of the 2nd prize in Folk Phonogramme of the Year 2003 contest. 20-minutes concert is broadcasted by Polish Radio Programme II. Sylwia is playing with Warsaw Village Band in Germany at the same time.

♣ 22.08 – gig at Lapidarium club (Old Town, Warsaw). This time (and last time) with new “substitute” violinist – great Katarzyna Klebba.

♣ 28.10 – ten days before the 50th STILO’ gig and almost month before recording session of new album, drummer Paweł Jedliński is sending e-mail that says: “I don’t know what about my participation in recording session but one is for sure – I can’t play with the band in near future”. In spite of hot telephone line with Paweł he doesn’t change his mind, so Wojtek – on 31st of October - is calling to Janusz Kossakowski, drummer of Kontraburger band, asking for help. Janusz agrees to play at the nearest gig.

♣ 16.11 – in spite of his promises Paweł Jedliński didn’t arrive at any of three rehersals after Traffic’ gig, so that day he is thrown out of the band. STILO starts to prepare to recording session with Janusz Kossakowski.

♣ 27.11 – beginning of the “Szukaj!” recording session in the same place (S4 studio in Warsaw) and with the same engineer/co-producer (Leszek Kamiński) as before. The band is recording till 6th of December (day by day, except 5th of December). Mixes are done between 7-11.12 and 20.12. Mastering: 21 and 22nd of December.

♣ 12.12 – last gig of this year, played at Diuna club (Warsaw). First one with Damian as an official member of the band. New line-up: Orłowski & Dutka & Stasiak & Żur & Kossakowski. Co-working member is still Sylwia Świątkowska.

2005

♣ 15-16.01 – STILO works on the documentary about itself, making by and for TV Polonia.

♣ 20.07 – first rehearsal with new drummer Jarek Cieślak; Włochy near Warsaw.

♣ 31.10 – last rehearsal with Damian Orłowski, who announces that he can’t guaranteed playing in every concert because of his lack of time. Few days later Sylwia Świątkowska becomes first violinist again.

♣ 10.05 (probably) - first visit of violinist Zuza Kuczbajska on STILO’ rehearsal, as one of the element of the violin-casting.

♣ 26.10 – second visit of Zuza. This time to start preparing to the gig with STILO.

♣ 16.11 - first gig with Zuza, at Natoliński Ośrodek Kultury (Warsaw). After the concert Zuza becomes new member of the band. New line-up: Żukowski & Kuczbajska & Stasiak & Żur & Cieślak.

First concert with Zuza, and duo Zuza&Janusz. Fot. Anna Kossakowska

2007

♣ 17.01 – legendary photo session made by Robert Górka in one of Warsaw’ theatres.

Fot. Robert Górka

♣ 11.03 – after the gig at Centrum ArtBem (Warsaw) Wojtek Stasiak and Tomasz Żur are recording interview with journalist Ziutek Vlepkarz for radio Radio.Wid.

♣ 29.04 – first day of recording demo of the planned new album; engineer – Michał Szpotakowski, Academy of Music, Warsaw.

♣ 9.05 – second day (and the last one) of demo session.

♣ 1.06 – beginning of the new album “Lisboa Avenue” recording session; New Project Studio, Wołomin near Warsaw, engineer: Paweł Sapija; mix: Krzysztof Maszota with a little help of Paweł Sapija; mastering: Krzysztof Maszota. Album is recorded day by day till 11th of June plus 13th and 17th of June; mixed till the half of September. During June two Portugal musicians – singer Genoveva Faísca and guitarist João Bengala – are recording their parts in Lisbon. Another guests: Iranian Mohammad Rasooli (nay), Marek Górka (vocal), Sylwia Świątkowska (violin) and Marek Dutka (keyboards).

♣ 18.03 - ’Lisboa Avenue’ is from that day available on the USA and international market, via portal CD BABY.

♣ 10.05 – second visit in Prague (Czech Republic), in U Maleho Glena jazz-club again. Concert is organised with assistance of Polish Institute. Special guest: Polish Ambassador in Czech Republic. Unfortunately the band is playing without Janusz Żukowski who has broken his arm before travel to Prague.

♣ 9.04 – during the show at Centrum Promocji Kultury Praga Południe (Warsaw) Sylwia Świątkowska joins the band for few pieces – after more than four years break! Full line-up: Kuczbajska & Świątkowska & Stasiak & Żur & Rozenman.

Fans were waitin’ for more than four years. From left: Sylwia, Wojtek, Zuza, Tomasz. Fot. Ewa Hawryluk-Stasiak